Danville Council To Consider Purchasing Maker Space Property

DANVILLE, CA — The Danville Town Council will consider approving the purchase of a 484-square-foot, one-bedroom home and turning it into a “Maker Space” for art classes and programming.

The town’s former Community Development Agency purchased the small house on 282 Front Street, across the street from the Village Theatre, in 2009, according to a town staff report. The CDA purchased the property for $600,000 using Low and Moderate Housing Funds, with the goal of trying to join the property with other nearby parcels to make way for affordable housing.

In 2011, the State of California dissolved all redevelopment agencies in the state, but the Town Council voted to retain all of the former CDA’s assets and continue to use them as originally intended. Over the following years, the town unsuccessfully tried to acquire adjoining parcels for housing development. The individual parcel cannot be developed for housing due to a variety of restrictions, including structural issues.

Town officials decided to incorporate the house into its Town Green and Arts District Master Plan as a Maker Space, which could include spaces for arts classes and programming, outdoor seating and shade structures.

The resolution before the Council asks the Town to purchase the house from the Successor Housing Agency for the original price, and put proceeds from the sale into the Low and Moderate Housing Fund to assist with affordable housing in the town.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Town Meeting Hall. It can also be live streamed here.